Mobile police van How citizens can protect themselves from break-ins
Bonn · On Friday, the mobile police van took up residence on the Bonn Münsterplatz and gave advice to residents about how to protect their homes from intruders. Bonn police have recorded a significant reduction in the number of break-ins.
The most recent crime scenes can be distributed across the city like pins. And in the first weeks of August the city centre is the optical focal point on the Einbruchsradar – a detection radar which shows the sites of recent local break-ins on the map.
For the victims, the consequences are undoubtedly more painful than pinpricks. The detection radar is designed to create transparency and to increase vigilance and has now been a central component in the NRW police’s prevention work for just over a year and a half. The work of people like Thomas Risch and Manfred Stieger is another important element.
The men held the fort on the Münsterplatz for three hours on Friday to give advice to residents on how to protect themselves from burglars. Almost weekly events like this may be routine for Detective Superintendent Risch from the advice centre of the criminal investigation department and for technical security advisor Stieger, but there are still enough citizens who are clueless about effective burglary prevention measures and can be found at every location where the police mobile van calls.
Although this time the city centre was fairly quiet due to the rain, the response is always lively. A standard question is “what can I do to make my house more secure?” explains Manfred Stieger.
For him and his colleagues the advice then begins, and questions are asked about the age and type of windows in the home. In many cases and up to a certain age, additional security items can be retrofitted. Doors, patios, balconies, entrances to basements and basement shafts are further trouble spots.
As well group consultations at the police headquarters, Bonn police also offer free house visits with security advice. Appointments can be made by calling: 0228/157676
Bonn break-in figures reduce
For the period 2013 to 2016 Bonn police report a significant reduction in local break-ins. Statistically they registered around 900 fewer cases. In answer to our enquiry, Simon Rott from the Bonn police press office explained that this trend is continuing in 2017. “Currently we are noting a percentage reduction well into double figures,” says Rott.
The Einbruchsradar (detection radar) serves to obtain more leads from the public using continuous information. The police publish the updated maps every Wednesday on their website:
(Original text: Rüdiger Franz /Translation: Caroline Payne)
